4 Myths About Homeschooling DEBUNKED

There are a lot of misconceptions about homeschooling and homeschoolers. It’s time to set the record straight!

1. Homeschoolers Aren’t Properly Socialized

EVERY homeschooler or homeschool parent has heard this one several times. There is a big misunderstanding today about what ‘socialized’ means. Most people who ask this question really are just thinking about one kind of socializing: being surrounded by your peers. That, technically, isn’t socializing.

Have you seen the majority of teenagers today? They don’t know how to communicate with each other, much less their parents or other adults. For the greater part of their day, they are surrounded by their peers, not needing to interact with adults. The rest of the day, and on weekends, if they are not with their friends, they have their noses buried deep in the screens they carry in their hands.

A big misconception about homeschoolers is that we are always shut up in our homes. FALSE. Socialization isn’t only about spending time in a classroom. It’s about interacting with other people, and it can happen anywhere. Many homeschooling parents enroll their kids in extracurricular activities to ensure a balanced social life. Whether it is a trip to the grocery store with mom, play dates with other families, entrepreneur job activities, co-op events, volunteering, etc., homeschoolers get plenty of socializing opportunities with a large range of age groups.

This makes homeschoolers even more socialized than the average public schooler, and more apt to interact and better communicate with those outside of their age group.

2. Homeschoolers Don’t do “Real” School and Can’t Go to College

What is “real” school? If it’s sitting in a room for eight hours a day, learning just enough “facts” to pass the next test that doesn’t stay in your brain through the weekend…then no. Homeschoolers do not do “real” school.

Personalized learning is shown to improve learning because it allows the curriculum to be taught in a way that aligns with a student’s learning style. In public schools, students are all taught the same way. If they learn too quickly, they have to wait for the others to catch up. Conversely, if the material is not taught in a way a student understands, then they fall behind their peers. In both cases, public school students are more likely to become disengaged and frustrated by their learning experience. Whereas a homeschool student is in a more flexible learning environment.

Homeschoolers have to meet the same requirements as public schoolers in order to graduate. Homeschoolers tend to have unique skills and qualities which help them do better at college. They are self-disciplined, motivated, responsible for the process of studying, and know how to manage time. On average, homeschoolers actually perform better on the SATs, ACTs, etc.

3. Homeschoolers Aren’t Prepared for Real Life

Homeschool moms have heard this one a lot. Connected to homeschoolers not being socialized, there is a similar misconception that they won’t be prepared for the real world or fit into society.

To the second, well, most homeschool parents see how messed up and evil society has become and don’t want their kids to fit in. We should be trying to teach our children how to stand out in society and shine for God and truth, not to fit in with the crowd.

To the first… let’s take a glance at the real world, shall we? Life in the real world involves getting a job, paying bills, cleaning and taking care of a house, caring for and raising a family, interacting and communicating with people, discovering truth everyday and making daily decisions how to live and live well. These are just the basics that every adult person faces in the real world.

Homeschooling gives kids everyday chances to prepare for adult life in the real world. Most homeschoolers help their parents with chores around the house or extra curricular activities to prepare give them a head start on life in the real world.

-Everyday chores such as washing dishes, doing laundry or helping clean the house, prepares kids for taking care of their own home one day.
-The activities and lifestyle mentioned in myth #1 help prepare kids for interacting with and communicating with others as they branch out in the world.
-Most homeschoolers get a jump start on jobs, due to their more flexible school schedules, so they also get a jump start on how to search for jobs, go through an interview nd learn to balance a budget and build savings.
-Giving kids the solid biblical foundation that a lot of homeschool parents start homeschooling for, helps to prepare them for the every day decisions and life changing choices that they will need to make as they get out into the real world, and help them have a defense against evil or harmful things that they will face every day.

The list can go on and on.

4. “I Can’t Do It!” “I’m not Qualified!”

I’ve heard this from a lot of parents, especially over the past couple of years. Here’s the thing… this is a lie that Satan and the world wants you to believe. That is one way to start breaking the family unit: to convince parents that they don’t have the right or ability to teach their own children.

Parents are actually the most important teachers in their child’s life, and they always have been. Parents teach their children to walk, talk, and eat, and are the first example that children look to when learning how to function in society. In many ways, parents are the most qualified people to lead in the education of their own children because trust and support have already been established. Not only that, but parents today have more resources than ever. 

You CAN do this! God gave YOU your children and, thus, He also gave you the ability to teach them. Don’t let the world tell you that you are not qualified; your qualifications came from the highest power out there!

There is not only one way to teach children; you know your children better than any and know what they need, how they best learn, what interests them… and, some good news, you do not have to be an expert in everything for every grade and subject. That is where many homeschool resources and curriculum come in very handy; and you can learn right along with them! We could all use a refresher course every now and then.